Autographic copying and recording apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. LeG. PEIRGE. AUTOGRAPHIG COPYING AND RECORDING APPARATUS. No.457.289.

Patented Aug. 4,, 1891.

(-No M dew 2 Sh at Sheet 2.

A. LeG. PEIRGE. S

AUTOGRAPHIU COPYING AND RECORDING APPARATUS. No. 457,289.

' Patented Aug. 4,' 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMY LE GRAND PEIROE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TiVO-THIRDSTO MANNIE H. BLOCK AND OTTO ARMLEDER, OF CINCIN- NATI, OHIO.

AUTOGRAPHIC COPYING AND RECORDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,289, dated August4, 1891.

Application filed January 29, 1891- Serial No. 379,494. (No model.)

To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALMY Ln GRAND PEIROE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of Grand Rapids, in the county ofKent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Autographic Gopyingand Recording Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantagesresulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent fromthe following specification and claims. In order to properly describethese features of my invention, I shall proceed to specify them as apart of an operative machine, and inasmuch as certain other features ofthis machine have been already described and claimed in applicationbearing the Serial No. 368,941 for United States Letters Patent, thelatter features will notbe dwelt upon or claimed herein.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto which refer ence is hereby made, Figure 1,Sheet 1, represents avertical longitudinal section of a machine or apparatus embodyingmyinvention, the paper employed therewith being shown in workingposition. This section is taken at the dotted line 1 1 of Fig. 2 andthat side of the section being shown which faces toward the bottom ofthe sheet of drawings. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a top or plan view of saidmachine. Fig. 3, Sheet 1, is an elevation of that end of the machinewhich is on the right hand in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. l, Sheet 2, is avertical longitudinal section of the machine, taken at the dotted line 44 of Fig. 6, that side of the said section being shown which facestoward the left hand in Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectionof the machine, taken at the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 4, that side of thesection being shown which faces toward the right hand in said Fig. 4:.Fig. 6 represents a vertical transverse section of the machine, taken inthe plane of dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 4, that side of the section whichfaces toward the right-hand side of Fig. 4: being the one shown. Fig. 7shows the rollers and an adjustable roller-frame of an improvedconstruction. The novel and important functions performed by thesedevices will be fully hereinafter set forth. The view here taken is anelevation of that side of the roller-frame and rollers which is on theleft hand in Fig. 4.

The exterior casing A is made in any suitable form to carry out theobjects of my invention. The main requisites of the casing are strengthand compactness.

A preferred form of casing for carryingout, in connection with themechanism Within the casing, the objects of my invention is shown in thedrawings, and consists of a base B, a front end plate B, a rear endplate B a plate B on one side, and a plate B on the other side. .The topis formed by a plate B and inclines downward from rear to front. Theseseveral parts of the case are firmly and securely fastened together, or,when preferred, may be cast or otherwise formedin one piece.

- Within the case are two drums or spindles.

One of these spindlesviz., O-is employed as the supply-spindle-that isto say, the paper to be used in the machine is wound upon this spindle.The function of the other of these spindlesviz., the spindle Dis toreceive that strip or those strips of paper which, after being writtenupon, are to be stored away in readiness for examination by theaccountant or other person, as hereinafter mentioned. Thediameter of thereceiving-spindle D is a little greater than that of the supply-spindleO, in order that the receiving-spindle may be more readily enabled totake up the slack in the paper received by it from the supply-spindle C.

The supply-spindle O is provided with a journal concentric therewith,the journal at one end being indicated by G and that at the other end byG. This spindle O is also connected to a large sprocket-wheel E,supported by and rotatable on a single journal E, located on that sideof the sprocket-wheel opposite where it is connected to the spindleO.The journal E of the sprocket-wheel E enters and turns in ajournal-bearing E suitably supported, preferably, by being fixed to theside B of the casing, as shown. An oilopening E in the bearing enablesthe latter I00 and the said journal it carries to be well lubricated.

The retention of the spindle O in its journal-bearings and its removaltherefrom and readjustment therein are very quickly and readilyaccomplished. The means for accomplishing these advantageous resultsconstitute certain features of my invention and will now be described.

In the center of that side of the sprocketwheel E which is next to thespindle O is a recess E of a size to receive the free end of thejournal-bearin g G, the latter fitting closely therein. .On the sameside of the sprocketwheel is affixed thereto or formed thereon aguideway E extending from a point at the periphery or near it down inlines parallel to a radius of the wheel to a point on the oppo site sideof the recess E. At the latter place the guides E E curving toward eachother, meet. Thus the recess E is at the closed end of the guideway. Thewidth of the guideway is not less than the diameter of the j ournal G.On that end of the spindle C where the journal G is located is fixed aprojection or stud E of the same diameter as said journal, the axes ofthe journal G and of the said stud being parallel. The bearing H for thereception of the free end of the journal G is of ayielding character.The preferable mode of supporting it is a spring plate or piece H,secured below by a foot H to the base B, and curved outwardly at H toallow the spring bearing-piece H, when passed away from thesprocket-wheel E, to have length sufficient to keep the bearing H inaxial line with the bearing E of the sprocket-wheel. On that side of thebearing-piece H which is toward the spindle is fixed a guideway H, theguides H thereof encircling the lower half of the adjacent edge of thebearing H and extending up to the upper end of the bearingpiece H. I

To remove the spindle C from its bearings, the spring-piece II is bentback toward the side B of the case. The end of journal G is thuswithdrawn from the bearing H, and room is also given to withdraw thejournal G from its bearing E in the sprocket-wheel. The spindle O- isnow readily lifted up out of place, the journal G sliding up in guidewayH and the journal G and projection E sliding up in guideway The spindleO having been removed, the sprocket-wheel E may also now be removed, ifnecessary, for repair, &c. Ordinarily the sprocket-wheel will remain inposition. On the spindle O is fastened the roll of strips of paper foruse in the apparatus, this roll of paper being concentric with thespindle.

In replacing the spindle O and its roll the piece H is again bent towardthe side B of the apparatus, the journal G and stud E are placed inguideway E on the sprocket-wheel E, and the journal G in guideway II ofpiece H. The spindle is now moved down until the journal G enters the,recess-bearing E and journal G enters the recess-bearing H. Theguideways direct the journals with certainty to their respectivebearings, and the bottoms of the guideways prevent the journals frombeing carried past the bearings as the spindle is moved down. Thespring-pressure of the piece H toward the sprocket-wheel E operates tokeep the respective journals G and G in their respective bearings.

The function of the stud E is to prevent the spindle O turningindependently of the sprocket-Wheel E. Thespindle O and thesprocket-wheel E must turn together.

The receiving-spindle D is provided with concentric journals I I. One ofthese journals I fits into a bearing J 4 in a sprocket-pinion J and theother journal I rests in a bearing to be hereinafter described.

The sprocket-pinion J has a journal J on that side of it which is nextto the adjacent side B" of the case, and this journal is received into abearing J preferably fixed to the side of the case, as shown. Thus whenthe spindle D has been removed, the sprocketpinion can be readilyremoved from its bearing and reinserted therein. Radial springarms J J Jare affixed to that side of the sprocket-pinion opposite where thebearing J is located. These arms J curve from the center of thesprocket-pinion toward their free ends and outward away from thesprocket-pinion and toward the spindle D. WVhen the spindle D is inposition, the free ends of these arms J touch against the face of anenlarged end of said spindle -viz Dthe said end being preferably ametallic disk.

The j ournal-bearing K is located in a support K, and the elasticpressure necessary for the retention of the journals of the spindle D intheir respective bearings is preferably obtained by the elasticity ofthe piece K, made of spring metal, having a foot K secured to the base Band a curved portion K This curved piece K is similar in shape to thespring-piece Hand performs similar functions with reference to thespindle D to what the said piece H performs for spindle C. Thespring-piece K in pressing the spindle D toward the sprocket-pinion alsoperforms the function of pressing the disk D of spindle D against thefree ends of the arms J of the sprocket-pinion. The spring-piece K isprovided with a guideway K having guides K of a shape similar to theguideway H aforementioned and located on the said springpiece K withreference to journal-bearing K in a manner similar to that in whichspringpiece H is located with reference to its journal-bearing H.

In removing the spindle D from its supporting-bearings the upper end ofthe springpiece K is pressed back toward the side B of the casing. Thejournal-bearings K and Jtare now so widely separated that the spindlecan be lifted out of said bearings and removed. In replacing the spindlethe spring-piece K is bent back, as aforementioned, and the journal Iinserted in bearing J and the other journal I placed in the guideway andmoved down therein by pressingdown the adjacent endof the spindle untilthe journal I is in place in the bearing K.

' Tothe spindle D is aflixed one end of a flexible strip L, of cloth orequivalent material, in any suitable manner. The width of the strip ispreferably about the same as that of the paper strip to which it is tobe connected. The other or free end of this strip is provided withcatches L or equivalent mechanism for grasping the strip of paper to bedrawn onto the receiving-spindle D. In the present illustrative instancethese catches are merely teeth of flexible metal, which are first passedthrough said strip of paper and then bent down fiat thereon. As such ameans of fastening is wellknown and in universal use, it is unnecessaryto present a more extended description thereof. A roller-frame M ispresent, provided with rollers J. and N This frame preferably consistsof the side uprights M M and cross-connecting rods or pieces M M Theroller N is journaled in the lower portion of the side uprights M M, andthe roller N is journaled in the upper portion thereof. The frame M isadjustable, and to this end the lower ends of the uprights are beveled,the bevel M extending from the side of the frame toward the-spindle downto the other side.

At the lower portion of the case, near to the front plate or portion Bof the case A, are beveled two studs or pillows P, one for each uprightM, the beveled portion M of an upright resting on the beveled portion ofits supportingstud P. As the bevel of each of said pillows is in areverse direction to that of the bevel M in contact with it, the bevelsof the pillows and those of the uprights 1W fit closely together. At theupper end of the casing and near each side is a projection R, projectingrearwardly from the front end of the casing. pillows P and its upper endmoved forward, each upright will come closely under its adjacent saidprojection R.

A pivoted catch R, pivoted at R is located on one of the sides of thecase, and when dropped its free end passes against the upper portion ofthe front edge of one of the uprights M and serves to prevent the upperportion of the frame from coming out of its upright position, while thebevels on the lower ends of the frame, in conjunction with the bevels onthe pillows P and the projections R which prevent the frame M fromrising, serve to prevent the lower end of the frame from slippingrearward out of place.

, When it is desired to remove the frame M, the catch R is lifted andthe top end of the frame drawn out from under the projections R, afterwhich the frame and its rollers can be liftedoutf of the case A. Inreplacing the frame'M in the case the successive steps taken in theoperation of withdrawing the frame lVhen the frame M is set on the Ifrom the case are repeated, but in a reverse i order. The principaladvantage of rendering the frame thusadj ust-able is as follows: After 1the desired amount of paper written upon has {been wound upon thespindle D the top of the casing is removed, as more particularlyspecified, and the spindle D, with its load of paper, is removed. When aspindle D is again placed in position in the machine, it becomesnecessary to attach-its flexible strip L to the free end of the paperstrip to be wound on the said spindle for the purpose of enabling therotation of the spindle to wind the record- .ing-strip of paper thereon.The flexible strip L passes from the spindle D down underthe roller N,thence in front of said roller up in front of the roller N and thenceover said roller rearward to the paper to which it is to be attached. Itwill now be obvious that by removing the frame M, attaching the free endof the strip to the recordingpaper strip, then placing the frame on therear side of the flexible strip, and then putting the frame in positionin the case the difficulties which would arise in the passing ofthe'flexible strip under the roller N and up in front of the frameM-viz., between the said frame and the front of the case, and thenrearward over the roller N in the event of the frame being stationary inthe case A-are obviated by my making the frame removable, and especiallyis this the case where the means for such removing are of the kind Ihave inventedviz., those herein specified.

Upon the supply-spindle C is rolled a compound strip of paper consistingof as many strips of paper-one behind or next to the otheras are tobesimultaneously employed upon the machine. The free end of thiscompound strip is drawn olf the spindle, and the strip or strips L to beultimately carried to the recording-spindle D is or are passed over theroller S at the rear portion of the top of the machine, thence over thelower plate T of the two top plates of the machine. This lower plate Tconstitutes the tablet proper. The free end of this recording strip orstrips is fastened to the flexible strip .L.' The other strips L? ofpaper of the compound strip coming from the spindle O are passed overthe larger roller S, located at the rear of the said roller S, and thenpassed over the strip or stripsL of paper aforementioned on the tabletand then out and up over a bar V, hereinafter described, and then onover the machine and off of the case A. The rollers SS are removable,and when in the machine their journals run in the grooves WV in theupper edges of the sides of the machine. These grooves W are open at thetop and allow the said rollers to be lifted out of them or replacedwithin them. The superincumbent paper aids in securely retaining them inposition. Between each two adjacent strips of paper on the tablet liewhat is familiarly known as inking or carbon leaves X X, and thepreferred mode of locating and holding machine after the manner in whichthe rollers S S are secured therein. The cross-rod of each carbon leafis secured to the head or upper rear end of its leaf, while the front orlower end of each leaf is free to follow the undulations of the papernext to which it lies.

The tablet T sets in the top plate B of the machine. Outside of thetablet T, and above the combination of paper-strips and carbon leavesthereon, is located a lid T, having a rectangular hole T through whichthe person desiring to record the memorandums or charges to be madewrites the same with pencil or stylus, and by the aid of the carbonleaves, directly upon all of the leaves on the tablet. The lid ispivoted at its rear end to the top plate B at T.- The upper edge of thecurved cutter-plate T is pivoted at T to the lid T, and the free loweredge of the cutter-plate rests on the strip-paper to be cut off, one ofwhich is, in the case of recorded sales, handed to the purchasers, whilethe recording strip or strips Lpass under bar V and around rollers N N,and thence to spindle D, as hereinbefore specified, of flexible strip L.The bar V passes across the machine above the tablet and under thecutter-plate and operates to there keep the paper raised. Consequentlywhen the operator has pressed down the cutter-plate and with the otherhand has torn off thereby the paper he has drawn from the machine andhas written upon the fresh paper presented in the opening T and lifts upthe cutter-plate to grasp the paper beneath it to pull forward the paperwritten upon and tear it off, the bar V holds up the free edges of saidpaper in a convenient position to be readily grasped.

' The sprocket-wheel E and the sprocketpinion J are connected to asuitable chain Z, and the diameter of this wheel in relation to thispinion is such that even when spindle D is empty and spindle O .carriesthe largest roll of paper it can the spindle D shall rotate sufficientlyfast to more than take off and roll on it the paper received by it fromthe large roll on spindle C. In this way the spindle D is sure to takeup all slack record-paper between itself and the spindle C. When thespindle O has thus taken up all slack, itwill, to the extent that itrolls up the recordingpaper faster than it is unrolled from the spindleD, slip on the friction-arms J, and the latter, with thesprocket-pinion, being positively driven by the large sprocket-wheel E,will revolve faster than the spindle D,but, owing to the frictionbetween the arms J upon the friction-disk D of spindle D, will cause thelatter to revolve and wind up the recording-paper as fast as it isdelivered from the spindle C. V

Instead of sprocket gear and chain, other suitable descriptions of gearmay be employed to enable the rotation of the spindle C to rotate thespindle D but sprocketwheels and a chain connection are preferable,because, as it is desirable that the spindles O and D be located at somedistance from each other, the chain connection is a simple andinexpensive one and works better and with less friction than interveninggearwheels are likely to do.

It is obvious that a pull on the paper strips L turns the spindle C, sothat as the said strips L are drawn forward over the top of the machinethe strip L is also, by the rotation 'of the spindle C, drawn forwardwith said strips L over the tablet and subsequently wound upon the saidspindle C.

A glass window 0, placed in the front end of the machine, will enablethe operator to see a duplicate of the record just previously torn offfrom the strips L While the various features of my invention arepreferably employed together one or more of them may be employed withoutthe remainder, and in so far as applicable one or more of said featuresmay be employed in conjunction with other mechanism for performing thefunction of self-writingor of recording, or of both of these.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. The combination of the sprocket-wheel having the journal E receivedinto bearing E and carrying on its other side the bearing E and theguideway E thereto, and the paper-supply spindle 0, having journals Gand G, and the elastic spring-piece H, having bearing H, receiving'thejournal G and having the guideway H to said bearing, the journal G beingreceived in the bearing E and the spindle O carrying a stud E receivedinto said guideway E substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the sprocket-Wheel having the journal E supportedin a hearing of the casing and itself having a bearing for the receptionof one journal of the spindle C, the sprocket-Wheel being provided witha guideway to its said'bearing and the spindle having journals andprojection E the latter and one of the journals of the spindles being inthe guideway, and bearing for supporting the other journal, andmechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified, for

pressing the spindle 0 toward the sprocketwheel, substantially as andfor the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the spindle D, having journals and disk D andsprocket-wheel or pinion J, carrying the friction-arms J and bearings Jand spring mechanism for pressing the spindle D and disk D in contactwith the free ends of the friction-arms and the journal I in bearing Jsubstantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the spindle D, hav

ing journals and disk D. and sprocket-wheel or pinion J, carrying thefriction-arms J and bearings J provided on and concentric IIO with thesprocket-wheel, and elastic springpiece K, provided with hearing K, inwhich the journal I is received, the spring-piece K retaining thespindle in the bearings J 4 and K and the disk D against the free endsof the arms J, substantially as and for the purposes specified. I

5. The combination of the spindle D, having journals and disk D andsprocket-Wheel or pinion J, carrying the friction-arms J and bearings Jprovided on and concentric with the sprocket-wheel, and elasticspring-piece K, provided with bearings K, in which the journal I isreceived, the spring-piece K reraining the spindle in the bearings J andK the spring-piece K being provided with guide- Way K leading to thebearing K, and the disk D against the free ends of the arms J,sfiulstantially as and for the purposes speci- 6. The combination of thesupply-spindle C and receiving-spindle D and a removable frame locatedWithin the casing A and at or near the front end of the same andprovided with rollers N N the paper to be wound on the saidreceiving-spindle entering the case and -passing over roller N thencedown around roller N, and thence to and around spindle D, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified. 3

7. The combination of a supply splndle and a receiving-spindle and aframe M, all located within a casing, the casing havlng a beveledprojection or pillows P and a pro ection R and latch R and the lowerends of 3; the frame M having-beveled feet M lI1lL61-( fitting with-thebeveled projection or p llows P and projection R and held from lateraldeflection at the upper edge by the latcl1 substantially as and for thepurposes speclfied. 4o

8. The combination of asupplyspindle and a receiving-spindle and tablethaving the raised rod V, over which latter the paper to be torn offpasses, while the paper to be transmitted to the receiving-spindlepasses 45 under said rod, and the cutter-flap or piece T extended oversaid rod and pivoted in rear ot the said flap, the cutting-edge of theflap resting on the paperto be cut 1n front of the cutter, substantiallyas and for the 5c purposes specified.

ALMY LE GRAND PEIROE.

Attest:

' F. W. BROWNE,

K. SMITH.

